Thinkers & Doers: Jan. 14, 2014

Distinguished Professor Joan C. Williams’ book, What Works for Women at Work, with her daughter, Rachel Dempsey, was reviewed in Forbes.

Forbes’ Susan Adams writes: “Williams and Dempsey devote much of the book to explaining the myriad ways that gender bias persists. Many of them are subtle and require nuanced behavioral fixes. The ‘tightrope’ chapters are especially telling. For instance, when men get angry at work, we aren’t surprised and we just wait for the emotion to blow over. But when women get mad, it’s another story.” Read the full review here.

The book, from NYU Press, has a foreword by Anne-Marie Slaughter. It was named by the Washington Post as one of the top 10 books on leadership for 2014.

Robin Feldman

Professor Robin Feldman was quoted in the Wall Street Journal about New York Attorney General Eric T. Scheiderman’s civil settlement with patent firm MPHJ Technology Investments, barring it from what he called deceptive tactics to get New York businesses to pay for patent licenses from a patent troll.

Feldman was among patent experts who thought the New York settlement could prove uniquely influential. "It's detailed and very carefully thought out," said Feldman. "It has the potential to serve as a model for others who are looking to craft legislation and regulation."

IP Watchdog quoted Feldman on the case as well. “Misrepresentation and downright fraud have become a major problem with patents, particularly against vulnerable targets like individuals and small businesses. Today’s historic New York settlement agreement strikes at the heart of this inappropriate behavior while protecting the legitimate exercise of patent rights," Feldman said.

“Patents are essential for innovation in this country, and patent rights are useless if one cannot enforce them. I am not talking here about the legitimate protection of an invention. I am talking about shadow games that exploit the system and prey on people’s fears.”

“In my work, I have pushed the boundaries of the “race” ipsa loquitur trope by investigating the significance of race outside of vision. I critique the notion that race is visually obvious and suggest that the salience of race, in terms of its visually striking nature and attendant social significance, functions more by social rather than ocular mechanisms.”

Reviews of his work have been positive. "Blinded By Sight is a lucidly and crisply written exploration of how blind and sighted individuals understand race as a visual phenomenon, and how those understandings are reflected within society," wrote Carroll Seron, Professor of Criminology and Law & Society at UC Irvine. "This masterful work is sure to make an enormous contribution, and to provoke debate."

David Jung

UC Hastings research into arbitration disclosure requirements was cited by the San Francisco Chronicle in its reporting on the struggle by consumer advocates seeking details from arbitration companies.

A decade-old California law already requires arbitration companies to post data on their cases online. The problem is that many don't do it. A UC Hastings study by Jung, Jamie Horowitz '12 and a team of students found that only half post any data, and it's short of what's required. Read the full report here. Read more about the Center for State and Local Government Law here.

Cathy Moran '78

A blog for new bankruptcy lawyers, BankruptcyMastery.com, written by Cathy Moran ’78, was selected by the ABA as one of the top 100 blogs for 2013.

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